- The Little Voice

Full disclosure: The author sent me an email requesting a review. I purchased the book rather than be indebted to him for a free copy so this review is as objective as I can make it.Short review: It's a good book. It's short, set with large type, is easy and quick to read. Author's prose overuses similes but after a while you stop noticing them. It may be autobiographical to some extent and I am not one to disparage another person's life journey, so I would only say that this is a very believable story which has points of contact with the despair so readily seen in modern society. The main character's descent into hell and his "salvation" from it has many parallels among people I have known. The book never rises (intentionally, I imagine) above the level of commentary. It offers no solutions and posits no explanations for the way things are. If the main point is that we are to "get educated", this book only offers anecdotes about what's involved in doing so. But, it is worth the read.Longer review: Sheldon's work fits into the same genre as Camus' "The Stranger", Gaarder's "Sophie's World", and Pirsig's "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance." It is in that genre, but it is not in the same league as those works. The question of "person-hood" as related to "authenticity" is a perennial human dilemma. Sheldon's character feels the weight of imposed social "expectations" on him. He is caught between wanting to "be" the person his teachers, his parents, his bosses desire and reward, and "being" that person, whoever it is, that is truly him.Sheldon falls short in one critical area. His universal opinion is that the character shaping nature of social structures is oppressive and tyrannical. He reverts back to the 60's hippie culture and rails against "the man." OK... social structures do act in such a way as to reward conformity and punish non-conformity to social norms. That is inherent in the idea of human social structures period. Some societies may be more tyrannical than others... some may be so loose as to appear chaotic... but, when it comes right down to it, whether it is a free-floating hippie commune or a fascist state, there are acceptable norms for maintaining community in each. Violations of those norms have consequences. I think Sheldon's character, at the end, where he is living in acceptable solitude but yet "missing" the society of people, begins to recognize this.The Greeks called it "paideia" and it was the purpose of education. A young person was supposed to be "shaped", both morally, intellectually and spiritually toward the goal of an ideal citizen in the city-state. Society, civilization itself, is dependent on this process. It cannot be abandoned if society is to be maintained. If a community is so open that every individual listened to the "little voice" inside of them and acted as that impulsive voice exhorted them to do, then there would be blood on the streets as well as frenetic bonding in impulsive movements that has more in common with lemmings rushing toward a cliff than true human freedom. Sheldon's character gives us a taste of this when he joins the radical revolution and finds himself destroying property leading to a few days behind bars. The difference between freedom and liberty is the difference between desire and acceptability. What Sheldon needs to address is to what degree is civilization the pathway by which man becomes "noble" while at the same time that pathway by which man is denied his individuality and rendered "faceless." Sheldon focuses only on that "negative" force (which is always present in any social structure) and never awakens his character to the possibility of the other end of the spectrum.It is too easy, as I see in so many young rebels, to reject all restraint and coercion in the mistaken belief that some "Walden Pond-ish", get back to nature, become one with the universe dynamic, will smooth away all our chains and with the sounding chorus of "Alle Menschen" ringing in our ears we can skip and jump and sing with the birds in blissful harmony and with all creation and with each other. It works for individuals... it doesn't work for a social order. The American journey is replete with Mountain Men and Traders and Hermits, fleeing to the wilderness, living in splendid seclusion and a fierce, suspicious rejection of strangers and community. Their life stories are mirrors of Sheldon's character. But, and this important to note, the Native Americans who lived in that same natural setting, lived violent lives filled with wars on other tribes and predatory claims on food and property. Getting back to nature and living in the freedom to do whatever you want to do whenever you desire to do it, works OK in solitary.... once you add another human to the mix... well, it's right back to that whole "rules" thing. Yew Shodkin (Sheldon's character), if this is a primarily fiction work, could have achieved true freedom if he had been allowed to discover, that the highest freedom that man can gain, is that in which he voluntarily and willing lays down his life (including lesser freedoms) for another... or for others. True freedom is to embrace restrictions on ourselves.Still... criticism aside... it's a good book. Take up and read.

The beginning of this book gripped me because I too had “a little voice” in my early childhood, somewhat like that of the character Yew. But my “little voice” lasted and is still speaking to me today. Either I’m crazy or I’m a writer of fiction, especially for young people and children! Right off, I give this book high reviews because the author’s prose and cleverness in expression and insights, especially in his early years, are worth reading and noting.The author named his little voice EGOT. I know his description of Egot and his/its actions sound fanciful. But for some of us our “egots” are quite real and, like the author, get us into occasional trouble with authority figures -- teachers, parents and even peers.The author heightens his adventures with Egot with sharp and cognitive imagery, such as remembrances of music. A lot of whimsy here, which helps us vicariously get into the boy’s feelings. We understand, or at least empathize. But we also face a problem of reality. “Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?”It is “the world” that equips us, strongly or weakly, with being able to know ourself. You cannot have such a sharp dichotomy between “your true self” and how the world shaped you. Learn from the world around you is the basis of our soul's freedom--this was true of Buddha, Lao Tzu, and other sages.Yew eventually tries to conform and succeed in “the world.” But he seems to have no anchor. Thus he takes jobs that demoralize him BECAUSE they are not totally moral. He take sadvantage of “unenlightened people,” like generous old ladies. The character Yew becomes more and more self-centered, the “belly-button gazer.” That opens the door to self-destructive behavior.Writers say that truth is stranger than fiction. As a fiction work this book falls short of a believable plot and a main character we can believe in. Oh sure, he learns esoteric (new age) lessons and quotes Lao Tzu over and over again. I believe that this book would have worked much better as a memoir rather than a novel, as the author claims it to be.I could not sympathize with a character who almost destroys himself, and his life’s main lesson comes from that act. Nor how he lives off the dole and a kind-hearted nurse. In short, he contributes nothing to society but lives off down-to-earth hardworking, tax-paying people. He is the modern rice-bowl-in hand philosophical beggar.If most of the people in the world were like Yew, where would You be?

*Disclaimer: I have studied philosophy and psychology, which may have left me less receptive to this book than other readers* This book is narrated in the first person, looking back at past events. The early part of the strory, set in childhood, is the most enjoyable part.Sadly, as the years roll forwards, the story becomes a bit of a cliche. All a bit "meh". I hate my life, it is boring, "woe is me, whatever can I do to find the real me" stuff.The story promotes the idea of finding personal freedom and happiness outside of the normal ways of life, but if you want something to challenge your world view, opening up your mind to a different way of life, look elsewhere.If you want a funny half a book, read the first half of this, then speed read the remainder of the book. You will not be missing much. My inner voice has already stopped talking to me about this book...

This self-published book is so poorly written, I can not understand how it has received such positive remarks. I tried to finish the whole story in the hope that it would improve but had to give up for fear of wasting anymore of my time.I’ve never thrown a book away before, only sent them to charity but this one was chucked into the recycling bin.

This beautifully written short book is a real eye opener to the pressures put on each one of us to conform to the ideals of westernized society through schooling, religion & consumerism and the consequences that may unfold when you live a life that is not truly your own. The author eloquently describes the psychology of why westernized society works for some but helps us realise why it's not for all. This book aligned with my soul, I highly recommend it!

Well written and researched between behaviourism, psychology and Chinese philosophy. However, the teacher in me wanted to scream at times when it described behaviours as a child and how they disrupted the education of everyone else in the class.Draws the reader in and it feels like you're on the whole emotional journey too.Well worth a read.

I enjoyed this novel. It echoed the first year of my Education and Early Childhood degree. The points raised were important and are becoming popular points of investigation/research in the education system.I found some areas did not have enough depth to fulfill the storyline or the topic was rushed, such as Yews road to recovery from hard drugs. However, its a great starting point to raise interest.The use of 'dear reader' and 'let me explain' became a little bit annoying, as well as the quotes feeling a bit forced into the text. They were necessary but a smoother approach to them would have made the story flow a little easier. Beside from that, it is a good read. A great intro to philosophy and pyschology in education. I will be reading more novels from this author.